Chapter 5

“The Zhao family is willing to marry her, and that’s already generous. What is there for you to be picky about?”

I swept my gaze over them.

“He’s been sitting the imperial examinations for eight years and is still only a licentiate. His family has two acres of poor farmland and nothing else. Such a fine match—why don’t you marry him yourselves?”

Someone immediately shot back in a shrill voice.

“You’re nothing but a servant’s bastard. What gives you the right to compare yourself to us?”

“Still, it’s better than being thrown out to a country estate, isn’t it?”

“She’s come this far and still can’t give up that need to win!”

“Do you really think you’re in any position to be choosy?”

As soon as she finished,

a man’s mocking laugh came from outside the door.

“She’s Second Miss Lu, the one who refuses to fall behind in anything.”

“But it’s her marriage. Of course she has the right to take her time and choose!”

The newcomer stood behind me, fanning himself with a folding fan,

and took my side without a care for the people around us.

I looked at Lu Yunchu

and finally smiled.

“Drop that winner’s act of doing me a favor.”

“Lu Yunchu, this is far from over between us.”

The Lu family might be underhanded,

but they had not left themselves only one way out.

And the man standing before me

was another path they had never considered.

5.

Xiao Che was the Minister of Justice,

and in the court, everyone avoided him as if he were “another me.”

He came from the outlaw world.

After saving the Emperor from an assassination attempt while His Majesty was traveling incognito, he had been granted an official post by special favor.

He was born handsome,

but was arrogant about his achievements and a lover of beauty.

He also liked to wave his folding fan while investigating criminal cases,

which had earned him the name Jade-Faced Yama.

No matter how much Gu Jingchuan disliked him,

he still had to step forward and salute.

“Lord Xiao, I didn’t know you were coming. Forgive me for not welcoming you sooner.”

Xiao Che closed his fan

and made no effort to be polite.

“Young Duke, spare me the insincere pleasantries.”

“I know the Duke’s household despises me. I’m not here to wish that fake virtuous madam a happy birthday, either.”

“I’ve come today to take Second Miss Lu away.”

The people who had been shouting insults at me moments ago

fell as silent as mice.

Xiao Che looked around,

then curled his lip.

“A bunch of trash who only bully the weak.”

Gu Jingchuan stepped in front of my elder sister.

“If I’ve offended Your Excellency, then take it up with me.”

“My wife is gentle by nature. She shouldn’t have to endure undeserved humiliation.”

Chapter 5

Xiao Che raised an eyebrow,

and his eyes suddenly turned cold.

“I had no idea, Young Duke, that you were both deaf and blind.”

“Otherwise, how could you say something so vile?”

“She stole her younger sister’s groom at the wedding. You call that gentle?”

“She forced a woman who had just lost her mother to come congratulate her, then let the guests fill the hall with insults. You call that gentle, too?”

“She’s done one loathsome thing after another, yet in your mouth she becomes the victim?”

“Tsk.”

“Tsk, tsk. Spit!”

Gu Jingchuan had always been proper

and was no good at arguing.

The scolding turned the tips of his ears bright red.

He had actually believed all along

that my sister was helping me by finding me a match.

Lu Yunchu’s eyes reddened.

She hurried to defend herself:

“I don’t know what kind of relationship Lord Xiao has with Yao’er, but why have you misunderstood me?”

“I truly meant well!”

“I was the one who knew Jingchuan first. Lu Yao stole this marriage from me!”

“Her birth mother stole my father first, and now she’s stolen my husband!”

“I only took back what was mine to begin with. How can that be wrong?”

“Lord Xiao oversees the courts. Surely you understand that everything in this world should be judged by reason!”

I hurried forward before Xiao Che could lose his temper.

“If you want to talk about reason, then let me explain it to you today.”

“Yes, I secretly read that letter. But wasn’t it you who saw it first?”

“You resent me for going to Jiangnan, but I never tied you up or stopped you from going to save him!”

A flash of panic crossed Lu Yunchu’s eyes,

but she still refused to admit it.

“There was no matchmaker and no betrothal gifts. On what grounds could I go?”

“Does everyone have to be like you and throw away every shred of modesty?”

“Besides, it would have looked disgraceful if two sisters fought over a man!”

“You didn’t care about Father’s or the Lu family’s reputation,”

“but I couldn’t stand by and watch the whole family become a laughingstock!”

I pressed closer, one step at a time.

“Were you afraid of losing face, or did you simply not dare to go? You know the answer.”

“You hid behind etiquette and family honor because you were afraid that even if you went to the disaster-stricken region, Gu Jingchuan would still die.”

“But when I was getting married, you dared to steal the groom in front of everyone. Why didn’t modesty matter then? Why weren’t you afraid of two sisters fighting?”

“Lu Yunchu, what you were really afraid of was that you couldn’t save him, and you’d end up bringing misfortune on yourself.”

“Do I need to spell out your motives any more clearly?”

She was driven back step by step,

until at last she screamed through her tears.

“Lu Yao, stop slandering me!”

“You lost, so now you want to pin this disgrace on me!”

I said no more to her.